Shifting sands
by BigAznDaddy99
Summary: AU Naruto must be abandoned by the Leaf in order to protect it but when others get a hold of this Demon will Naruto be the end of the Leaf or will he save the crumbling world?
1. Default Chapter

I do not own Naruto or any of its characters and some of these ideas/people are from Robert Jordan not me

Chap 1

As time continues forward, ages come and pass. Memories are often left to legend, legend turns to myth and even myths begin to fade away. In such a time where legends are made, a wind of mourning sweeps through the Hokage Mountains and fills the village of Konoha. This wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings. But it was a beginning.

Inside the ravaged and war stricken village, where hundreds of ninja had lost their lives, there was a man sitting on his perch, staring at the gathering of people before him, no not people, shinobi. Down below him a vast expanse of forests encircled the village and the rock faces carved into the mountain wall seemed to hold a deep sorrow tonight. The night air was filled with moans of the dying and the shuffling of rubble to find them, but this was a more important matter at hand that he needed to attend to.

"Hokage-sama… we cannot keep this… this demon here. He will only wreak havoc on the village once again. It is best that we dispose of him now while we can."

Sarutobi sighed, clasping his hands together as he looked at the bundle of cloth on his table, how old age soaks one to the bones. He already knew all of this and didn't wish to be reminded again. The village was in shambles and the last he needed was for him to keep the child that was the reminder of Kyuubi. Everyone had already seen the child left in the wake of the beloved Yondaime's death, and there was no other choice except to be rid of it, especially if it would cause chaos in the wake of mourning. A masked Anbu stepped up, holding a kunai in his hands in the readied position.

The man stuck the knife at the child's neck, his hand beginning to shake uneasily as he held it, ready to take the life of the child. The ninja of the gathering all recoiled in shock, not knowing exactly what to do because the Hokage had not ordered it yet and surprised at the action of the young man.

"Hokage-sama! Let me dispose of this child!" the ninja pleaded, an unusual amount of emotion in his unsteady voice; emotion could cause rash decisions in the field of battle. All of the elite ninjas stared at him, marveling his bravery, or stupidity.

"No… No Kakashi. I will deal with him…" The aging man told Hatake Kakashi, who still stood there resolutely with the knife edge on the boy's neck. A firm hand grasped onto the Anbu's shoulder and Kakashi turned to see a bowl cut man staring at his feet, tears falling to the ground.

"Kakashi… I believe the fourth would have not wished for you to stain you hands in innocent blood." Gai spoke, tears trickling down his down head as he looked passionately at Kakashi.

Kakashi stepped back and moved his forehead protector, revealing his sharingan eye, which was filled with sadness and pain at the loss of his last remaining true nakama. Kakashi withdrew the weapon and looked to the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama… even if you do not wish to do it; you must. Too many have died on this day, and many more shall if this child is not killed." the man mumbled.

"I know… I know. I am Hokage, I must do what is best for this village, and I must preserve though everything. If this is what the village wishes, then so be it. I do not know how any of you can judge a child like this with such hatred, especially because this child has done nothing but live. May this not come back to haunt you… you are dismissed." Sarutobi said, resigning back to his chair.

After so many elite ninja's had lost their lives it was all that he could do to at least keep the glue binding the village, it just had to be done, even against the Fourth's wishes. The Sandaime rubbed his face, trying to forget about the lost Hokage but he never had such luck with forgetting the past, especially if it involved such a man.

_Flashback_

A wide smile met the old man's face. Sarutobi couldn't believe it, even when the man was about to face down death he smiled. Sarutobi's choice was not just purely because of the man's strength but because of his great spirit and loyalty as well. As long as he had known him the golden haired man sitting before him would never back away from a challenge, and never in his life would he dream of giving up.

A worried look cam to the Fourth's eyes and his mouth opened as to speak but he hesitated, not knowing the right words. "Sandaime, I know this will probably be my last night on this earth but I have no regrets for I am dying to protect those in which I love, as Hokage, no, as a shinobi, I would gladly give up my life. Sarutobi; if you ever find her tell her that I loved her, no, that I love her still. Tell her not to hate the Kyuubi that took me away from her. And- and tell her that I would have loved to have a family and lived with her." The Fourth stuttered. "This is my only will Sarutobi-sama… please; if you see her…" Tears ran from the man's eyes and Sarutobi cursed his weakness. He should be the one to die! He had already lived out his life but this child had yet to see the light of love. Why couldn't he perform the jutsu! Why!

_End_

Sarutobi was brought from his musings by the insistent calling of his name. The Sandaime had not noticed it but one man stood behind after all the ninjas had filed out, and it was not who he had expected it to be.

"Sarutobi, what's bothering you…" Asked the legendary man.

"Just thinking about what he said… Jiraiya." Sarutobi answered.

"That kid actually did it huh? I wouldn't have thought it possible, but he proved me wrong again." The white haired sannin stated, moving closer to see the child. "It even looks like him…"

"Yes, the relation is astounding, yet I must take care of the village first… I've been thinking Jiraiya." The sannin in question gave a short at this, which Sarutobi dismissed. "Maybe you should come back and become Hokage." Jiraiya let out a full gale of laughter after the Third finished.

"You know full well that I am not fit to be Hokage… anyways they still got you right, old man. I mean, what? You can live for another hundred more years right?" Jiraiya joked, laughing halfheartedly. "Anyways, what are you gonna do about the child?"

"What do you think I should do?"

"The people are scared Sarutobi. At the mere mention of Kyuubi they would run in fear, causing a certain war. I-I wouldn't know what to do with him to tell you the truth. I know that the kid gave his life to seal that monster and the only thing to come out of it was this kid but I also know that if I kept it the risk for disaster would certainly be there. That's why I asked. What are you gonna do with him?"

"I will deal with him in my own way." Sarutobi said, preparing some seals. A gorilla-like monkey appeared in a cloud of smoke, and he looked at Jiraiya with an apparent dislike for the toad master.

"What's monkey boy doing here?" They both asked Sarutobi in unison, causing them to glare daggers at each other.

"Enma! I have a task for you." The monkey king immediately turned to face Sarutobi, noting the child on his desk "You are to bring this child as far away from Konoha as possible, I believe the Desert of Ur is fitting. There you are to dispose of the child; that is all." Sarutobi commanded.

"Sarutobi… you know I cannot kill a child-" The monkey king was cut off as Sarutobi raised his hand.

"I never said kill, did I?" the Third stated.

"You don't mean… you can't let them find him! It's too dangerous!" Jiraiya pleaded, looking at his teacher's resolute face. Sarutobi knew of the risks but he had to give the boy a chance to live, he had to see what would amount of this boy that was left behind after rivers of blood.

"It is not as though we are handing him to anyone. They are too much involved with their desert to be of harm to Konoha, and leaving him for a village to find is an even greater risk." Sarutobi said, waving his hand as he dismissed the two of them. _'Light! Please let this boy live.'_

The padded hands that held the bundle gently lay it down beneath the shelter of rocks. The creature straightened and looked about. It had taken him, one of the fastest creatures on this earth, a week to reach the endless sands. He looked at the child who had grown on him and cursed the little boy's fate. Enma shook his head, he couldn't let emotions get the better of him. The monkey king disappeared in the night air as an oncoming sandstorm was about to engulf the rocks that protected the small child. Left there to die or live, the child began to cry, realizing that there was no longer anyone there to hold him.

"I did not believe you were that slow Miku…"

Giggles erupted from the two women in front of Miku, who tried to speed up. Three slender figures ran carelessly through the harsh desert sand, as though it were the easiest thing in the world. Each woman wore loose fitting dark pants, and a loose coat-like cloth to match. All wore a stone colored cloth that covered their head, save their face and a patch of hair. A dark veil hung loosely by their shoulders and if they stopped in their movement, no normal eye would be able to distinguish them from the ground. On their backs were three short spears, although the blades were long enough to go through a man and still have a few inches left. The three also had a rawhide buckler each and a knife tucked in the middle of their waist by a sand-colored sash.

Miku of the Erin Aiel was a maiden of the spear. Wed to the weapon in life or death she devoted her life to her spear. Along with her sisters Kadre and Shaiel they were a forced to be reckoned with. There were times of course when Kadre teased her about her lack of speed compared to them but when the true dance of the spears came any fool to take them lightly was in for death.

The woman in the front scanned the vast desert with her pale blue eyes, in signs of any enemy stupid enough to intrude on their land while they were one the move. The two behind her chatted carelessly with the knowledge that her skill would spot anyone out in the sand, which left her to do everything. Why was she the one picked to do this? Why did they even need to do this? They weren't even close to the Blasted Lands yet he still insisted on sending them.

A sand storm was brewing in the distance and Shaiel froze where she stood, perking her ears as she heard something. The two women did the same, gazing into the night in all directions. Shaiel veiled her face, leaving only her tanned skin, pale blue eyes, and a little fringe of light brown hair, her veiled face showed that she was ready to kill.

Shaiel stiffened; there it was again, the shrill cry of a person. The three women ran to the rock formation where the sound of crying could be heard their, soft leather boots hardly making a sound. Shaiel stood there, staring at the bundle of white cloths as her heart pounded.

"A child?" Miku asked, lowering her veil.

"How did it get here?" asked Kadre.

"This child must have been hated by someone to have it left it out here…" Shaiel concluded with the sound of sadness in her voice. How long had it been since she lost her child? A month? Two? Shaiel shook as she saw her lost child's lifeless form in her head.

"Shaiel… what do we do…" Miku asked nervously.

"I-I cannot leave him…" She said, drawing glares from her partners. It was bad enough that she had been pregnant, no maiden of the spear was to bear a child, but now… now she readily accepted the thoughts of a child.

"The clan… he is a wetlander! They will not allow it! And-and being a maiden… you will need to forfeit the rights." Kadre exclaimed while Miku nodded.

"I-I know the consequences. I am ready to give up the spear, I have been ready." Shaiel concluded, looking down at the ground.

"Still… he is a wetlander! You cannot take him. He is not the one you lost!" Miku yelled, startling the other two, trying to protect her sister of the spear.

"I know… but he is pulling me in… every time I look at him I long for more. It's as though he's pulling every feeling from me and condensing it into a love for him." Shaiel looked at her companions, but they just stood there in silence. The female warrior bent to pick up the child when a paper slipped out. All that it said on it was "Naruto" and Shaiel decided it was to be his name.

Shaiel held up the child as the sun began to lift from its slumber lighting the desert landscape. "Naruto… Naruto of the Erin Aiel." She mumbled, and the child let out joyous laughter, seemingly reaching for the sky as the sun hit his face through the impending sandstorm. "He shall be strong…"

What do you think? Review please.


	2. Chap 2

Naruto was left out in the desert were he was found and when he will begin his life anew.

Chap 2

A blonde haired child no older than seven pawed the ground beneath him curiously, watching as it began to slip away into grainy specks. The tanned child looked puzzled, it was very different from the Fuzen Lands, where hard clay laid everywhere and jagged peaks were scattered throughout. The child was garbed in an assortment of browns and grays, making it easier for him to blend into the harsh environment of the sun-dried lands.

"Naruto…" came a woman's voice. The child looked up, brushing some of his light blonde hair from his eyes as he looked for the source of his name, knowing that there were only few people who called him that, and only one who said it with such care.

There she was, shielding her eyes against the falling sun as her light brown hair flapped in the desert wind, wearing an assortment of ivory necklaces, and a long flowing red cloth that covered her white blouse and tanned skirt. Naruto ran to the woman, slipping and falling a little but getting to his mother in one piece. Shaiel bent to pick the boy up but Naruto defiantly held his hands up, showing that he would not have it.

"None of the other boys get picked up mama, so I don't need to." Naruto stated referring to the children littering the low tents. Shaiel laughed slightly, picking the boy up even with his protests, rapping his bottom when he continued to yell. The woman led him their tent, a little ways off from all the others. When Naruto landed on the ground at the flap of the tent, he looked up fiercely at his mother, putting a fist at her showing mock anger.

"I am a warrior! Not a baby! I will become the strongest! I'm not a kid anymore!" The blonde yelled as the beating sun fell from the sky.

"Ohh… so the warriors don't need food or sleep do they? I guess I'll just give it to another boy who wants it." Shaiel said mockingly, raising a plate of food above her head. Naruto ran to the carpets that had been laid down, jumping at his mother who had lain down for a little, resting her head on one hand while she watched him eat.

Shaiel left the boy consuming his meal, finding a pair of white clad namonaihito tending to her belongs on the mules. Shaiel gathered her coat around her, as though for protection as she walked down towards the large encampment. The former warrior could feel the unspoken words bombarding her as she walked past all the other tents. It had always been this way for the last seven years and she didn't expect things to really change. Shaiel walked into the tent in the center of them all, confidently holding herself as she entered.

A tall man lay on his side atop intricate rugs, sipping gently from his cup of liquid. There was a faint glimmer in his eyes as she entered but it soon disappeared as he looked at her hard face. The light-yellow haired man motioned to the spot in front of him and she took it, sitting cross-legged.

"I see you Shaiel, keeper of my heart."

"I see you Geki."

"What brings you here Shaiel?" The tall man asked, losing any hope of making light conversation because of her direct talk.

"You know why Geki. Train him." Shaiel stated with an edge of determination.

"Train him? Are you mad? You saw what he did, and that was when he could hardly walk. I will not unleash a monster on us all."

"I remember what he did but that was because he was protecting me. If only you would give him a chance you would see he is a kind child. If you train him to do what is right he won't be a threat, he will become the greatest warrior of all. Or is that what you are afraid of? A wetlander coming to show up the great clan leader of the Erin Aiel."

"Silence Shaiel! I shall not stand for this! You are fortunate I let that child live, if any other had asked for it I would have not let them. Every time I see him fear leaps out of me. He contains a demon inside of him and I have heard rumors that those on the other side of the Kouzan sealed a monster that attacked one of those ninja villages inside of a child. Fool woman. I should have had that child killed for the safety of the clan. Now off with you."

Shaiel knew that it killed a man to talk of fear, especially Geki. She turned, brushing away the overhanging of the tent as blood filled her vision and the memories of what had happened that day came to her. Quickly she shook her head, trying to get rid of those thoughts of her child. It had been so long ago and yet she could still smell the foul blood in her nostrils.

Shaiel walked to her tent, still troubled by the images of that carnage. Shaiel hoped to find Naruto fiddling with one thing or another, as he often did, but she wasn't in luck. The blond boy lay under a thick red blanket with some strange creature on it. He always insisted on using that no matter what she did like trying to tempt him with more fanciful creatures of the Indo. Sighing she knelt down next to him, placing her hand on his forehead and watching his peaceful ascent into the Mugen. She traced her fingers along the strange lines of his cheeks etched there since she took him and told herself that this child was not a demon; her child was not a demon. He was a precious boy with whom she loved.

Naruto yawned, wiping his dry face of its weariness. They had a full day's travel ahead of them and Naruto wanted to be one of the first ones up to show his mother that he could go without sleep like the men. Quietly Naruto slipped outside. The sky would be dark for another hour but there were already many people up preparing for more travel. Naruto was uninterested in them and ran to the outskirts of the camp from his tent, determined to prove to the guards that he could become one of them.

The Jackals were on guard today but Naruto didn't know why they called them that. He could never tell the difference between any of the different societies of warriors and whenever he asked he was always told he was too nosy. The other kids knew but he was always left out in the dark. When he thought about it more all Naruto really knew was that the men were strong and they ate things from the desert. Naruto had never been allowed to know what he was eating or why he was wearing something on some special day.

Naruto realized that the men on guard were staring at him strangely as he slipped on the sand while running. Quickly he tried to hide the awkwardness of the soft ground but the guards had already turned away, blending back into the ground perfectly. Naruto had no idea where he was going but he didn't want to go back to the tent, instead he wanted to run, to show everyone that he wouldn't slip when he did.

Naruto sprung into a sprint, darting away from the camp into the darkness of the horizon. He knew he shouldn't go too far but he just wanted to run. His feet pounded the ground fruitlessly up the dunes of the massive desert and Naruto knew he was going to fall. Sure enough his foot slipped and Naruto toppled backwards, landing in the coarse sand. Naruto ran his fingers through the sand, fighting back the urge to yell. His mother had always told him not to get mad but how could he not. People laughed at him for slipping in the sand and said he would always be a loser.

Slamming a fist onto the ground Naruto lifted his seven-year-old body and readied his legs for more sprinting. There had to be a way to overcome this and Naruto would find a way to break through this barrier if it killed him.

Sweat dripped down his forehead and beads of it hung to his hair. The sun was already beginning to climb and Naruto knew he had to get back soon. His legs ached from tirelessly running through this sand but he had seen his progress. His soft leather boots slipped less often now and he was getting used to the movements of the shifting sands.

Naruto got up, dusting away the clinging specs of sand. He tensed his legs again and dashed off in the direction of the camp. Sun began to filter into his vision and before he knew it Naruto tripped over an unseen rock, falling into rocky formation. The jagged edges caught his clothes, cutting him in a few places but other than that he was fine.

"You shouldn't dig your heels in so much. Be lighter on your feet. Use your toes to propel you and the speed in which you run will greatly increase, Kiji."

Naruto turned and quickly got up, staring at the hunched man. A large diagonal scar marred his cheek and his loose fitting clothes named him an Aiel. The man looked strange though. Across his forehead he wore a dark red cloth that contained a symbol with two lines intersecting each other and three pointed diagonal lines protruding from them on either side, giving it a "spiky" look. Like all of the others the man was tall and well built with well toned muscles and his skin was dark and sun-baked from the sun.

Naruto backed away from him, not knowing who he was or what he was doing.

"Scared?" The man asked, with a slight smirk on his face.

"No!" Naruto said firmly although his weak posture did not show any confidence.

The man smiled. "You are not wrong to be wary of an unknown enemy but you should not fear."

"I told you! I'm not scared!"

The man chuckled, "You are like they say; different. But then I am as well."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow, interested and not feeling threatened by the man anymore. "Why are you different?"

"Why?" The man repeated. "Because. Because they believe it a weakness to change or be different; like you and me."

"Why?"

"Because they just do."

"Why?"

The man sighed. "For someone taught never to question anything that goes on you ask a lot."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, not afraid to speak out now.

"Me? I am just like you; different."

"Why?"

"Because I just am. But that's not why I wanted to speak to you."

"Talk to me? Why."

"Because I want to teach you."

"Teach me? What?"

"Will you just stay quiet and listen!?" Naruto gulped nervously, not knowing what was going to happen to him.

"I will teach you. I will teach you what they haven't and never will."

"What?"

The man sighed, resigning to his curiosity. "I will teach you how to become a warrior."

Naruto's eyes lit up and his face drew out into a wide grin. "Really?!"

"Yes. I can and I will because I am no longer restricted by their foolish rules; I have learned that long ago."

"Really? When are you going to teach me?" Naruto questioned, almost leaping into the air in joy.

"Right now."

Naruto thought about it and then it stuck him to ask the obvious question. "Why do you want to train me?"

The man smiled, looking down on the inquisitive boy. "Because you must learn. Inside of you there is a raw power and a force that will consume the world. You can destroy the world or you can protect it and that is your choice. I want you to harness this power and control it so that maybe I can guide you to protecting these lands from the foretold prophecies."

Naruto looked at him puzzled, not quite understanding him. "Protect? But I don't have anyone to protect."

"Are you so certain of it? Who cares for you day and night? Who watches for you and is there for you when you sleep?" The tall man asked.

"But she doesn't need to be protected! She's strong!" Naruto retorted, not knowing why he was getting so mad.

"Are you sure of this? Everyday she grows older and her body weakens. She will begin to wither and fade in strength. She has broken her spears and she is not one of the Kenbo and age will take a toll on her. There will also be others, many others, who will need you. I fear that you may need to protect the remains of a shattered world."

Naruto didn't understand what the man was speaking of but all he knew was that he needed to protect his mother at all cost, because she was precious to him. "Teach me then. Teach me how to be strong."

"Heh. There is more to it than being strong but I will teach you, and before long you will wish I never had." The man stood to his full height, towering over Naruto. "What do you think you're doing! That posture is horrible, there are too many holes!" Naruto stood up, rigidly watching the man. "I am now your sensei. Call me Jurei-sensei!" Jurei smiled, this was going to be a long memory trip.

Naruto slipped all the way up to the tent that was set aside for him and he was glad to collapse on the rug. While the clan had been traveling, Jurei had him sprinting from the front of the column and all the way to the back, again and again until their day of travel was over.

Naruto couldn't feel his legs because of all that running but he was happy. Happy to have someone yell and scream at him and show him how to do it better.

The reason why Jurei was training him still nagged at Naruto though but he quickly put it out of his head as his mother walked in.

"You look like you got into a fight with the sand and lost." She said, smiling and sitting down next to him. "Where have you been all day? I thought I had lost you somewhere."

"Training!" Naruto yelled ecstatically, forgetting his fatigue.

"Really? For what exactly?" His mother asked skeptically.

"To be the strongest!"

"Really? Strongest what?"

"Strongest warrior!"

"Oh yes? And just who are you going to have teach you? Or are you learning by yourself?" Shaiel asked, running her fingers through his blond hair.

"Jurei-sensei!" Shaiel stiffened and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Jurei-sensei?" Naruto nodded his head.

"Yup! He's gonna teach me how to be strong!"

"Naruto. Go clean up and get ready to eat, I'll be back soon."

Naruto's mother left the tent; hiking up her long bulky skirts as she marched towards the way that they had just traveled from. She knew that if he was here then he would not be too far away from them but still out of sight from most of the people. Shaiel quickened her pace into a light jog and scanned over the area, looking for some slight shift that would tell her where he was.

A light gust was all she needed to spot the ruffle of the cloth covering him. Quickly she hurried down the dune and saw that she had already been spotted.

Her heart pounded as she neared and she tried hard not to cry when she saw his face. "Brother…" she whispered. He gave her a simple nod.

"Yes. It's me Shaiel."

"I-I thought you had died."

"Dead? No; but I might as well be."

"Are you hurt somewhere?" she looked him up and down worriedly.

"There are more ways to die than just by the body sister."

She looked confused and he sighed, remembering her ignorance.

"I am a coward Shaiel." She looked as though she was going to protest that but he went on. "After I was exiled I could not follow those before me. I could not chase death like they did; so I am merely an empty shell now, living a coward's life that holds no meaning whatsoever. I wish I could have died; I **wished** that I could have died, but now I see that there is something for me. A purpose. I must teach that boy."

"I've tried to get them to teach him Jurei but no one will get near him, either from the decree or out of fear of him. How-"

"Don't you understand? I am an exile. The clan's laws do not touch me any longer." The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I-I understand. Thank you brother. He needs someone to teach him and to be there for him. I-I have seen inside his dreams." She forced out and Jurei's eyes widened as he stared at her.

"Yo-You saw into his dream? Have you told the Kenbo?"

She shook her head and looked disheartened. "It was chaotic. Everywhere I looked there was black. Everywhere there was death and rot. He stood in the center of it all; screaming. No one heard him, no one saw him. I tried to get to him, tried to get close, but it was useless. I've seen a few more of his dreams and every single time he is there alone with no one near him. I'm afraid. Afraid that one day he may no longer be that gentle little boy but the beast that everyone fears." She told him, tears leaking from her eyes. She was a woman, supposedly a strong woman, but at the mention of Naruto she was brought to tears because of his loneliness. She wanted him to have friends, to be like the other children, but he wasn't.

"Don't worry Shaiel, I won't let him turn on us. I won't."

"I just hope so."

Naruto let out a joyous laugh as he ran across the sand. Jurei had given him the day off and Naruto was going to take full advantage of it. It had been five days since sensei began to teach him and he learned the hard way to listen to your sensei when he spoke.

Five days had brought them closer to the other side of the desert and closer to what people called a city. Naruto was curious as to exactly what had all the adults so worried about a city so he had taken his day off to explore.

Naruto's breathing became heavier but he knew he could still go for a while before he totally burned out. Training with sensei had shown him just how much better he could become from just a few simple things. He could now run well on the sand and he could last a lot longer than he had before.

Naruto ran over the large sand dune and was surprised to see a group of kids down below. Happily Naruto ran to them. "Hey! What's up?" The five boys and the girl looked at the new arrival with surprise.

"So. Umm what are you doing?" Naruto asked one he got closer.

"Ummm. I gotta go, see ya." "Ya me too." Every one began to leave, giving urgent business that they had to get to, all except for the girl. Smiling Naruto ran over to her and she smiled back nervously.

"Hey. I'm Naruto."

"Is that your full name?" Naruto looked at her puzzled.

"What do you mean full name?" he asked.

"Like something else beside Naruto."

"Ummm. Nope. Just Naruto. Why? What's your name?"

"Hanarie Ayu."

"You have two name?" she nodded; thinking it strange that Naruto didn't know most people had two manes.

"Can I just call you Ayu-chan?"

"What does the chan mean?" Naruto looked puzzled himself and didn't know where he had pulled that out because it just came to his mouth.

"Ummm. I don't know, it just came out. Sorry if I said something bad."

"No. no it's ok. It-it sounds kinda cute." She giggled, blushing. She brushed aside a lose stand of light brown hair, in which the rest was tied into a ponytail down to the middle of her back, and Naruto noticed how red her face had gotten.

"Why is you face so red?"

Her face got even redder "Because it's embarrassing."

"Embarassing?"

Ayu began to walk away but Naruto grabbed her and turned her towards him. "Sorry if I did anything wrong Ayu-chan." He spoke franticly, hoping that she wouldn't leave because he wanted to be friends.

"No.No. It's ok." His eyes locked onto hers and he noted how pretty her light green eyes were. "What did you say about my eyes?" she asked him.

"Huh? Did I say that to you?"

"Yup." She said smiling.

"I was just thinking that you have really pretty eyes."

"This is so embarrassing!" Her face got red again and Naruto laughed.

"Hey Ayu-chan. Wanna go to the city?" her eyes widened at the strange and mysterious word.

"City? But we're not allowed to go there right?"

"We can sneak in." Naruto said mischievously

"But-But what if it's dangerous?"

"Don't worry! I can protect you."

"Don't say that! It's so embarrassing!"

"Come one Ayu-chan. Let's go."

"O-Ok." Naruto grabbed her hand and began to run off when a voice behind them yelled out.

"Hey! Ayu! Didn't your mom say that she needed you?"

"No. She said I could stay out all day."

"Well…. Umm she's calling for you."

"Really? I though she said I could stay out?"

"Nope. Guess to have to come back with me." Ayu looked at Naruto but he simply smiled at her.

"It's ok. I'm used to being alone."

"O-Ok." The two began to walk toward the camp and the boy turned his head, sticking his tongue out at Naruto. He'd rather be killed by an Ogric than let someone he knew go with that thing. All the parents had warned them from going near that person because he was so different. The boy knew why. He knew that Naruto was not of this land, that he was found and that he was supposed to be weaker than everyone because he came from that land or green and the weak. He would expose that thing for everyone to see and then that blonde would have nothing left to do than leave.

Naruto topped yet another dune and was put into a state of amazement as he saw what lay before him. Huge amounts of sand were simply standing with nothing holding it up like a wall. And then there were hundreds of tents that were made out of sand too and Naruto was amazed that they could stand up like that without falling down.

Naruto went up the massive wall and ran his hand along it, feeling the hardness and the grainy texture. Naruto continued to walk around the sand wall until he saw a line of people entering through a hole in the wall. Quickly Naruto went over and was surprised to see how many people were inside of the city. There were so many colors, so many different things that Naruto began to walk in a trance until a yell at him brought Naruto to look at a man yelling at him.

"You can't go in without a passport." Naruto looked at him puzzled.

"You need to be check for anything you have on you that could be dangerous to the village." Again Naruto could only look at him questioningly.

Had he done something wrong? He didn't have anything with him so how could he have anything dangerous?

"Ahhh just let him thought. He's one of those savages and it'll be good entertainment when the villagers run him out." Said another one of the men at the gate.

"Go on through."

Naruto happily went on, amazed at the people and the colors of their clothes. As Naruto walked thought the streets a strange feeling crept into him and he nervously began to look around him.

People shot him a look and quickly turned around, pretending to go back to what they were doing. Naruto walked faster, looking out the corner of his eye to see the people pointing and whispering about him. Naruto walked into a side street, hoping to avoid all those people and those looks.

Naruto continued to walk, not knowing where he was going exactly but he was enjoying every thing about it and this weird place.

The joyous screams of other children drew Naruto to an open area where there were many kids kicking a ball around. Naruto walked towards them, determined to make some friends when he saw another boy all by himself.

Smiling Naruto walked over to the loner who was holding onto some ropes and sitting onto something attached to it. "Hey! What are you doing?" the red haired boy looked up and Naruto's eyes widened.

"Cool! Those are some cool eyes!" Naruto laughed, but the boy remained silent and looked at Naruto intently.

"So what is it that you're sitting on?"

The boy looked at Naruto as though he was the strangest creature in the world but he answered. "A swing."

"Swing? What is that? This thing?" Naruto asked, pointing to another one next to the boy.

The red-head nodded and Naruto grabbed a hold of the rope for the free swing. "So I just sit on it like this?" Naruto sat on it and then he looked over for further instructions, but Naruto found out what to do before the boy told him. Naruto laughed wildly as he rocked himself back and forth, throwing his head back and holding himself up only by his hands.

Naruto looked over to the boy and noticed that he wasn't swinging. Stopping himself Naruto quirked an eyebrow at him. "Am I doing something wrong?"

Naruto waited for an answer but it never came. Remembering what he saw a few of the grownups did Naruto hoped off the swing and held out his had to the boy. "I'm Naruto! What's your name?"

The red haired boy looked at Naruto cautiously and his hand inched its way towards Naruto's "I'm-I'm Gaara."

"You don't have another name?"

Gaara shook his head and Naruto laughed, "Neither do I." Something inside of Gaara moved and a small smile showed on his lips at such a weird little boy.

"Gaara! Hey! Do you want to be friends?" Naruto asked openly, hoping to have at least one person he could call friend.

"F-Friend? Y-you want to be my friend?"

Naruto nodded smiling. "What can we do for some fun Gaara?"

A piece inside of Gaara began to pulse and it was the beginning of a new growth for him and his new friend.

Sorry for such the long wait but I was really busy with tons of stuff. Just to let some of you know there is no YOAI! Don't think there is any Naru/Gaara. Anyway I hope I can get out a chapter soon and that you review plz. Tell me what you think. Thx


	3. AN

Hey it's been a while and I just wanted to post to let people know that I'm no long writing these stories. If you would like you can take the ideas and run with them but I'm sorry to say I have no motivation to write any epic stories like these would have become.


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